Monday, December 2, 2013

2nd Cumple-mes!

Today marks my two-months in the mission. For those of you keeping score at home, that means 16 months left mission Lee Ferrin. Lo siento. But I'm enjoying my time here, too.

Time keeps moving faster and faster here, and it seems like not too long ago that I was last writing in the Ciber cafe. This week has had its ups and downs. Turns out, as I learned on Thursday, that after the rains leave Estelí, it gets DARN COLD. Usually the Nicas are really cold and wonder why I'm not feeling anything when there are a few breezes or it gets a bit cool, but this time I was shivering and reaching for a non-existent jacket (I accidentally left my only sweater in my mission president's car, I think, but decided I wouldn't actually need it in Nicaragua). Just kidding! I definitely do need on in this zone in December. It's feeling a little like an AZ Christmas, even. And to make things even better, both my companion and I have had colds all week. We asked for a blessing on Wednesdasy in zone conference, and were promised that our sickness wouldn't interfere with our work, but we were starting to feel on Thursday that we needed to spend some time sleeping off our sickness in the casa when we got a call from a couple sisters in Managua. Turns out they are our new sister-training-leaders. They just changed the way that's organized in our mission, and now all the leaders are in companionships so they can maximize their time in divisions. The sisters in Managua got the zones with the fewest sisters (we lost a companionship of sisters and gained a 2 companionships of elders in the last changes, since we needed a branch president in one of our areas, and the other is too close to Honduras for comfort for the sisters), and we're one of those. So I had the chance to go to Managua to do divisons on Friday with a sister 3 years older than me, also from Utah, and it was great to talk in English, and we taught a lesson in English, and they have a ton of members and a ward who all wants to feed them and teach with them, and I'm a little jealous. I just loved being in Managua, with a bunch of people, noisy buses, Evangelical music on every corner, and it felt like a working vacation.

Things seemed a bit easier there than in Estelí. I think it's because I still have a lot of fear that is keeping me from exercising the faith that I need/want to in order to work well and powefully, fear that I didn't feel while I was working in someone else's area and could trust the responsible, older leader to direct me and take care of me. But in Managua on that same division, in my personal study, I finally came to an understanding of D&C 6:36, which says "Look unto me in every thought,doubt not, fear not." This is like a loving earthly father, who is helping his daughter learn to walk, or give a talk, or ride a bike, and is standing there with his arms out, or sitting there expectantly, with his eyes trained on his daughter, saying "just focus on me, just come to me, just pay attention to me, don't worry about anyone else, and everything will be okay." And I sure am counting on that promise. I can physically feel the fear when it makes its way into my heart, and it sure is uncomfortable. But if I take that same thought and look at it by way of Christ, suddenly, I'm not afraid. Suddenly, I don't doubt. Suddenly, I trust that I can accomplish His will. What a remarkable promise.

We ate lunch with our Branch President and his wife on Sunday, and they played 17 Miracles for us as we ate. That may or may not have made me a little trunky, as the clothing and music is all reminiscent of Philmont, not to mention I got to see Sister Breinholt and my friend Caitlin, both of whom are actresses in the movie.

We keep on keeping on out here in Estelí, and my spanish is better every day. I feel fairly confident with it now. It's still difficult to eavesdrop, but other than that, I can understand most everything if I pay attention, and I keep getting complimented on my spanish. I credit Dad for my accent and the fluency that I came here with. Thanks, Dad. :)

Still no pictures due to the jankiness of internet in ciber cafes. I promise it'll happen before the new year.

By the way, my birthday is coming up, and you know what the best gift would be? Letters or emails. Just sayin'.

2012

2013

"You cannot stay on the summit forever; you have to come down again. So why bother in the first place? Just this: What is above knows what is below, but what is below does not know what is above. One climbs, one sees. One descends, one sees no longer, but one has seen. There is an art of conducting oneself in the lower regions by the memory of what one saw higher up. When one can no longer see, one can at least still know."